Pragmatics

Question 1

Pragmatics

Answer 1

The study of the contribution of context to meaning.

Question 2

Physical context

Answer 2

Includes:
- Where the conversation takes place
- What objects are present
- What actions are occurring
- Anything else in the immediate area which might affect the conversation

Question 3

Epistemic context

Answer 3

The epistemic context refers to what speakers know about the world. E.g. what background knowledge is shared by the speakers.

Question 4

Linguistic context

Answer 4

Refers to what has been said already in the utterance. It can also include tone of voice.

Question 5

Social context

Answer 5

The social context refers to the social relationship among speakers and hearers, so a conversation between friends and equals would differ from one between strangers who only just met.

Question 6

Deixis

Answer 6

Refers to words and phrases that cannot be fully understood without additional contextual information.

Question 7

Personal deixis

Answer 7

All personal pronouns in the English language require contextual information to be understood. It is impossible to know who “she” is without further context.

Question 8

Spatial deixis

Answer 8

Refers to where the speaker is. This usually refers to adverbs of time and place e.g. here, there or demonstrative pronouns such as this, that

Question 9

Temporal deixis

Answer 9

This refers to the time that the speaker is referring to. Usually relates to adverbs of time e.g. yesterday

Question 10

Synthetic personalisation

Answer 10

The process of addressing mass audiences as though they were individuals through inclusive language usage such as you.

Question 11

Idiom

Answer 11

An expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its separate words but that has a separate meaning of its own that speakers can only understand due to their shared understanding of the semantics e.g. it’s raining cats and dogs

Question 12

Collocations

Answer 12

The habitual juxtaposition of a particular word with another word or words with a frequency greater than chance e.g. take risks not do risks.

Question 13

Pathetic fallacy

Answer 13

The attribution of human feelings and responses to inanimate things such as weather e.g. the sun was smiling

Question 14

Irony

Answer 14

Using language to signal an attitude other than what is literally being expressed.

Question 15

What are Grice’s maxims?

Answer 15

Quality, quantity, manner, relevance

Question 16

Who came up with face theory?

Answer 16

Irving Goffman

Question 17

Examples of politeness strategies

Answer 17

• Appropriate terms of address e.g. “Sir” “mate”
• Appropriate speech according to your social relationship with them
• Appropriate degree of formality
• Understanding the conventions of a situation e.g. refusing or accepting an invitation

Question 18

Direct requests

Answer 18

Threatens face by directly addressing the issue e.g. Turn your music down

Question 19

Indirect requests

Answer 19

Avoids being explicit about your request, whilst still requesting e.g. This is a great book I’m reading!

Question 20

Positive politeness

Answer 20

Addresses the person’s positive face needs by providing a form of compliment e.g. That is a great album choice.

Question 21

Negative politeness

Answer 21

Addressing the person’s positive face needs perhaps by apologising before speaking e.g. I’m really sorry to have to ask but…